Orville W. Taylor"Crucifixion of Christ was from way back when. Now crucifixion come back again, with the big Mach 11 KG 9 and 10."
NINETIES DJ Baby Wayne, whose career seems to be stuck in a 'crack', chanted these lyrics a decade ago. As I write this, I am in a state of disbelief that a 15-year-old girl had her life snuffed out by a 'grey back" 32-year-old man with whom she had a reportedly open two-year relationship.
The murder/suicide committed in Tower Hill is a tragedy for two reasons. First, a minor was involved in a relationship with an adult who
obviously was unstable. In doing so, her development into adulthood would have been seriously
compromised.
CHILD ABUSE
Whatever people might think, there is a rationale for an age of consent. A 13-year-old 'oukubit' does not have the capacity to handle a sexual
relationship with her peers much less a steady spousal one with her 'father'.
It does not matter what she says or how she is presenting it, even if her parents are 'pimping her' or allowing it to happen for whatever reason.
In the context of 119 children murdered, 430 shot and in excess of 900 sexually abused in 2004, it is not good enough to say 'mi no response!' or 'I don't want to be an informer!'
The recent Child Care and Protection Act (CCPA) is explicit regarding adults who have knowledge of child abuse and don't report it. Such persons could be deemed criminally responsible. Therefore, I hope that it is only a rumour that the parents and neighbours knew about it.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
The second aspect of the tragedy is that it arose out of a domestic situation. Large numbers of women are killed each year by persons who are supposed to love them. Love is really a dangerous game to play. True, there are many women who physically abuse men. That is wrong too! Many a man have been 'scalded' or 'acided' by women. There are even stories of women being instructed to pour oil into the ears of their sleeping spouses, only to realise that they did not heat the liquid.
However, most of the terminal
violence is by men against women. Much of the basis of the violence is men believing that they can actually own another adult person even though they don't have a receipt, invoice or title for them.
However, as long as women are made to feel that they need to depend on men, the very dangerous attitudes of domineering men will prevail and will often spill out into violence.
Do you ever wonder why it is always a murder/suicide and not a suicide/murder? Why couldn't the idiot kill himself first? Eh?
Speaking of spousal murder, I take time out to mourn the death of Johnnie Cochran, who became most famous for his defence of O. J. Simpson. Cochran had also defended Michael Jackson who is involved in another child molestation case, which at present is sub judice. I hope for his and the child's sake that Jackson did not do it. However, if he did, he should go to jail. Anyway, the judge will get to the bottom of that matter.
GUN IN PRISON
Back home, the killings continued, and it is now clear that we are not safe from the murderers even when they are incarcerated. So much for the anti-death penalty advocates!
On Thursday, a firearm found its way into the maximum security 'GP' resulting in the death of one
correctional officer and three inmates. Now there are investigations.
Lambert Brown, first vice-president of the University and Allied Workers Union, which represents correctional officers, remarked that the prisons are understaffed. While this is true, I recall that a number of them were removed from duties after they took industrial action in 2000. So I would expect 'Lammy' to seize the opportunity to comment.
Nonetheless, the entry of firearms into a prison, irrespective of the manpower shortage is a
serious case of either negligence or corruption among the officers.
With the recent finds of guns in Judgement Yard and the earlier discovery at the wharves, I have to ask whether the persons who sent the guns to Jamaica can be traced.
Furthermore, if identified and they are Americans, do we have the right to have them extradited here to be tried in our Jamaican courts? We ought to!
Quite coincidentally, there was
a prison riot among Barbadian
prisoners over allegations of
homosexual assaults to which the authorities had 'turned their backs'. What will Human Rights Watch say to this in a country that is noted for being far more tolerant to 'bulling' than 'homophobic' Jamaica? Will they create a stink again?
MORE STINK
As for stink ,what is happening regarding the National Solid Waste Management Authority? Allegations of corruption are rife.
On Thursday, Pearnel Charles called for an investigation into the matter and I agree. I also believe that any meeting investigating impropriety of the board and chairman should not properly be chaired by him.
I await the outcome of due process as an investigation 'sifts through the garbage' but there is something that smells rotten. Let's see if any skeletons will be unearthed.
On another note, Terry Schiavo, the brain-damaged American woman, had her feeding tube removed. Do we have a right to end the life of a loved one who is in a 'persistent vegetative state?' If she was 'dead', how come she survived 13 days after?
Given the debility of the Pope,
suppose he does not die but falls into a similar state? Is he still Pope if he is comatose? (I am writing this on Friday so he might just die on the weekend) Life is precious and must not be taken away except in defence or if forfeited in a court.
Dr. Orville Taylor is lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work at the University of the West Indies, Mona.
